Police: Parents arrested after leaving child car for over an hour at Evansville restaurant

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - Two people were arrested after an officer said he found their child alone in a running car outside an Evansville restaurant.

Officers went to Mister B’s Tuesday afternoon for a welfare check.

Authorities say they found a small child alone in the backseat of a car.

They say the vehicle was running, but officers were still concerned for the child’s safety.

According to an affidavit, the officer opened the car to see if the child was OK, and it looked like the child had been crying for some time.

Another unit was called so authorities could find the child’s parents.

While waiting for the other unit, officers say the father of the child, 26-year-old Dylan Skaggs, came out to the vehicle.

Officials say Skaggs told them the child had been in the car for “20-30 minutes maybe 40.”

Skaggs was placed into custody, and officers went inside Mister B’s and found the mother, 23-year-old Madison Costello.

Officers then checked the business’s surveillance to see how long the child had been left alone.

According to the affidavit, the video showed Skaggs going outside 12 minutes after arriving to grab something from the car.

Officers say Skaggs didn’t check on the child again for another 23 minutes when he briefly looked at the child before going back inside.

Authorities say he didn’t go back outside to check on the child for another 65 minutes. That time he was met by an officer.

Both Costello and Skaggs were arrested.

They are booked in the Vanderburgh County Jail on neglect charges.

Child Protective Services were contacted to do a report, and officers say the child was released to a family member.

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